1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a mop head for the wet or damp wiping of floors, and more specifically to such mop heads designed to be fitted onto a mop holder comprising two flaps, these flaps being designed to snap together from a locked working position.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Mop heads and mop holders of the type in question are used for institutional room and floor care.
One such prior mop head, for example, is shown in DE-PS 32 46 161. This mop head has two receiving pockets for the mop holder on its upper surface, and an additional fastening element on one of the pockets. The additional fastening element is fixed on one side in the bottom of the pocket and, on the opposite side, comprises means by which it can be releasably fixed around the U-shaped end of a flap of the mop holder. In the locked working position of the mop holder, the additional fastening element is pushed into the associated pocket from the end of the flap and the damp wiping mop is inserted in the two end pockets and used as such for floor cleaning. To wash and squeeze out the mop head, the two flaps snap together from their locked working position so that their two ends come free from the pockets. The damp wiping mop fixed lengthwise to the fixing plate then hangs down from a flap. After it has been washed and, optionally, squeezed out, the damp mop head is placed on the floor and the flap ends are reinserted into the pockets until the locked working position is reached. The entire process of washing and squeezing out is said to be carried out in such a way that the user does not have to lay a hand on the mop head.
This known mop head has the disadvantage that the additional fixing plate is secured to the end of the flap of the mop holder and, when this end of the flap is inserted into the associated pocket, always has to be fully inserted therewith into the pocket. In many cases, the result of this is that the fixing plate twists or bends over and blocks the pocket opening, i.e. the end of the flap can only be inserted with difficulty and extra force. This known mop head also has the disadvantage that the additional fixing plate can only be secured to the end of the flap when it is not inserted into the pocket. This makes the mop head difficult to handle insofar as, to secure the mop head, the mop holder first has to be brought into the locked working position. The additional fixing plate is then fastened to one end of a flap of the mop holder. However, since the mop holder cannot be inserted into the pockets in this locked working position, the mop holder has to be unlocked again so that the ends of the flaps can be inserted into the pockets and the mop holder brought into the working position.